ROCK ISLAND, IL (06/16/2014)(readMedia)-- Augustana College, Rock Island, Ill., held its spring commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 25. Congresswoman Cheri Bustos delivered the commencement speech, and more than 600 students participated in the ceremony.

Among the graduates:

Temilade Adejumo, from Rock Island, graduated with a major(s) in Sociology.

Sheila Ahuja, from Rock Island, graduated with a major(s) in Teaching Lang. Arts-English.

Carlie Allison, from Moline, graduated with a major(s) in Theatre Arts.

Sarah Althaus, from Moline, graduated with a major(s) in Political Science.

Allison Brown, from Milan, graduated with a major(s) in Teaching Lang. Arts - English.

SamAnthropologya Bull, from Davenport, graduated with a major(s) in Comm. Sciences & Disorders.

Ryan Chaney, from Bettendorf, graduated with a major(s) in Psychology.

David Cook, from Silvis, graduated with a major(s) in History.

Tyler Cowherd, from Bettendorf, graduated with a major(s) in Business Admin.-Finance, Accounting.

Bowen Dang, from Xi'an China, graduated with a major(s) in Accounting, Business Admin.-Finance.

Ashley DeVolder, from Moline, graduated with a major(s) in Accounting, Business Admin.-Finance.

Gregory Donley, from Silvis, graduated with a major(s) in Theatre Arts, Classics- Greek Emphasis.

Hannah Estes, from Moline, graduated with a major(s) in Business Admin.-Management, Communication Studies.

Tonnie Farwell, from Rock Island, graduated with a major(s) in Accounting.

Alvin Fonseca, from Moline, graduated with a major(s) in Multimedia Journalism & Mass Comm..

Fenner Hengst, from Bettendorf, graduated with a major(s) in Graphic Design.

Taelar Hillyer, from Bettendorf, graduated with a major(s) in Teaching Lang. Arts - English.

Xuwei Huang, from Chengdu, graduated with a major(s) in Business Admin.-Finance, Economics.

Darshan Hullon, from Moline, graduated with a major(s) in Biology, Pre-Medicine.

Nicholas Kendell, from Davenport, graduated with a major(s) in Biology, Pre-Medicine.

Lauren Kirik, from Moline, graduated with a major(s) in Geology.

Megan Kirik, from Moline, graduated with a major(s) in Political Science, Communication Studies.

Kylie Koger, from Davenport, graduated with a major(s) in Classics, Philosophy.

Jason Koski, from Eldridge, graduated with a major(s) in Business Admin.-Management.

Khant Latt, from Yangon, Myanmar, graduated with a major(s) in Political Science, Business Admin.- Management Info. Systems.

Jamie Lawrence, from Moline, graduated with a major(s) in Teaching Lang. Arts - English.

Abigail Ledford, from Rock Island, graduated with a major(s) in Biology, Pre-Medicine.

Angela Ledford, from Rock Island, graduated with a major(s) in Pre-Medicine, Biology.

Madison Logan, from Moline, graduated with a major(s) in Comm. Sciences & Disorders, Psychology.

Eryn Maccabee, from East Moline, graduated with a major(s) in English, Scandinavian Studies.

Catherine Margenthaler, from Moline, graduated with a major(s) in Comm. Sciences & Disorders.

Breeanna McCaw, from Silvis, graduated with a major(s) in Psychology.

Mallory McLain, from Rock Island, graduated with a major(s) in Biology.

Jean Bosco Munyengabe, from Rock Island, graduated with a major(s) in BiologyPre-Medicine.

Breann Nelson, from Moline, graduated with a major(s) in PsychologySociology, Social Welfare.

Muna Omar, from Bettendorf, graduated with a major(s) in Biology.

Elias Oseni, from Romeoville, graduated with a major(s) in Psychology.

Amanda Pease, from East Moline, graduated with a major(s) in Sociology.

Owen Pomije, from Rock Island, graduated with a major(s) in Computer Science.

Tyler Richards, from Port Byron, graduated with a major(s) in Business Admin.-Management.

Alexandria Riordan, from Davenport, graduated with a major(s) in Business Admin.-Management.

Anna Rusch, from Davenport, graduated with a major(s) in Business Admin.-Marketing.

Markaye Semmens, from Moline, graduated with a major(s) in Elementary Education.

Malcolm Simon, from Bettendorf, graduated with a major(s) in English.

Alexandra Skinner, from Bettendorf, graduated with a major(s) in Theatre Arts, Psychology.

Amanda Smet, from Moline, graduated with a major(s) in Sociology- Social Welfare, Philosophy.

Tyler Spellious, from Moline, graduated with a major(s) in English, Creative Writing.

Cristina Stan, from Davenport, graduated with a major(s) in Biology, Pre-Medicine.

Sven Steller, from Augsburg Bavaria 86169, graduated with a major(s) in Engineering Physics, Environmental Studies.

John Stone, from Reynolds, graduated with a major(s) in Computer Science.

Jonathan Tapia, from Hampton, graduated with a major(s) in Business Admin.-Marketing.

Jaykob Tisdale, from Moline, graduated with a major(s) in Spanish.

SamAnthropologya Tonn, from Moline, graduated with a major(s) in Religion.

Steven Trent, from Eldridge, graduated with a major(s) in Geology.

Michelle Wells, from Davenport, graduated with a major(s) in Biology.

Dalinda Widdop, from Milan, graduated with a major(s) in Biology.

James Wiebler, from Davenport, graduated with a major(s) in Biology.

Kelsey Winter, from East Moline, graduated with a major(s) in Biology, Pre-Medicine.

Shelby Womack, from Bettendorf, graduated with a major(s) in Biology.

Those graduating were given advice by Congresswoman Bustos, who said, "Challenge yourself to get outside your comfort zone."

President of Augustana College, Steven Bahls, speaking on life after graduation, said, "It is about leading a meaningful and purposeful life, well-lived." He encouraged graduates to "continue to take the road less traveled, and trust it will make all the difference in the world."

Representing the class of 2014, Carlisle Evans Peck spoke about the importance of a liberal arts education in living a fulfilling life, "These four beautiful years of liberal arts college were not to prepare us for security and dependability in a single, stable career," he said. "They have been to prepare us for life in the forest. The purpose of this education is to create adventurous, creative, intelligent individuals who will shake that machine to its foundations."

During the ceremonies, honorary degrees were presented to two individuals: Congresswoman Cheri Bustos and Robert Ontiveros, founder and chairman of Group O.

Founded in 1860, Augustana College is a selective four-year residential college of the liberal arts and sciences. The college is recognized for the innovative program Augie Choice, which provides each student up to $2,000 to pursue a high-impact learning experience such as study abroad, an internship or research with a professor. Current students and alumni include 149 Academic All-Americans, a Nobel laureate, 13 college presidents and other distinguished leaders. The college enrolls 2,500 students and is located along one of the world's most important waterways, the Mississippi River, in a community that reflects the diversity of the United States.

Thanksgiving in July to collect non-perishable food items to benefit three Bettendorf pantries

Bettendorf, IA (June 16th, 2014) - Thanksgiving in July, a community-wide food drive seeks to collect non-perishable food items for three Bettendorf area pantries - the Bettendorf Community Center, First Baptist Church and St. James Food Pantry. The drive will be held Monday, July 14 through Saturday, July 19.

"Food pantries spend up to $1,500 each month on purchasing perishable and non-perishable food items," said Jeff Herzberg, Founding Member. "Our goal is to collect enough non-perishable food items to allow the pantries to use those funds for milk, eggs and other high protein, good-for-you products on a regular basis to their visitors."

Items in demand include canned fruit, vegetables, meat (tuna, chicken, Spam), peanut butter, rice, pasta/pasta sauce, Macaroni & Cheese, juice boxes, boxed meals and soups.

"While the beneficiaries of this year's food drive are the citizens residing in the City of Bettendorf, we hope to expand our scope and help more pantries throughout the Quad-City area in the future," said Herzberg.

Ways the Bettendorf community can support Thanksgiving in July:

• Businesses are encouraged to hold a non-perishable food drive.

• Athletic clubs, dance troops and nonprofit or civic organizations can sponsor a food drive through ball games, dances, raffles or other community events

• Individual donations can be made at Hy-Vee on Devils Glen or Fareway on Belmont, in Bettendorf.

• Personal checks payable to "Thanksgiving in July" can be sent or delivered to, Thanksgiving in July - Bettendorf, Northwest Bank, 2550 Middle Rd. Bettendorf, IA 52722.

Food items will be collected on Saturday, July 19 from 10 am to 2 pm at Faye's Field parking lot - near the Family Museum, Bettendorf. Volunteers will load the food, weigh it and deliver items to the food pantries in the City of Bettendorf.

To learn more about Thanksgiving in July, contact Jeff Herzberg by calling 563 343 9737 or emailing jherzberg@pfgc.com.

About Thanksgiving in July

Locally in Scott County, 19.6% or approximately 8000 children under the age of 18 are faced with food insecurity -- a need that's even greater during the summer months when children are out of school. Local food pantries see a significant amount of their contributions during the November and December months. Our local pantries have demand all year long and the summer months are an especially high period of demand for their services. Thanksgiving in July is an opportunity for the citizens of Bettendorf to provide support to the food pantries in Bettendorf.

DEKALB, IL (06/16/2014)(readMedia)-- Ty Wakefield of Rock Island, Ill. is a recent graduate of Northern Illinois University (NIU). Wakefield graduated with two Bachelor of Arts degrees from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. NIU announced the awarding of graduate degrees on Friday May 9 and undergraduate degrees on Saturday May 10 and Sunday May 11, 2014.

Chartered in 1895, NIU is a comprehensive teaching and research institution with a diverse and international student body of about 20,000. Located near a vibrant research and development corridor, NIU's main DeKalb campus is 65 miles west of Chicago and 45 miles southeast of Rockford. NIU provides more than 60 undergraduate majors and 100 graduate- and doctoral- level programs in seven colleges (Business, Education, Engineering and Engineering Technology, Health and Human Sciences, Law, Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Visual and Performing Arts). The university also operates education centers in Chicago, Hoffman Estates, Naperville, Oregon and Rockford, where working professionals can access NIU programs at convenient times and locations. The 16 NIU Huskies athletic teams compete in the Mid-American Conference at the highest NCAA Division I level.

###